Paper folding mechanism



July 14, 1936. w. FAlRCHlLD PAPER FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l M i mm E 3% v T W MM W July 14, 1936. w FA|RcH|LD 2,047,552

. PAPER FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q :[Q] I l E E @1111 um? H a I J F O IINVENTOR Y QQ (5 AMI'MW ATTORNEYS July 14, 1936. w. FAIRCHILD PAPER FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PAPER FOLDING MECHANISM William Fairchild, Albany, N. Y., assignor to A. P. W. Paper Co. Inc., Albany, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 4, 1935, Serial No. 3'70 4 Claims (Cl. 270 -71) This invention relates to a mechanical movement adapted to generate a rocking movement in a pivoted body and is particularly adapted for use where the member tobe rocked is carried by a larger member which rotates about an axis parallel with the axis of the member to be rocked. The essential feature of the invention is that the member to be rocked shall carry a segment of a spiral gear, and a second segment of a spiral gear is to be supplied which meshes with the first segment. The second such segment is so mounted that it is held against substantial rotation but is permitted to move longitudinally along the line of its axis. This principle is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings (which will be described in greater detail below).

In this figure, member 20 carries a spirally cut gear segment 24 which is keyed to it; and said segment 2.4 meshes with the other gear segment 34 which is movable longitudinally along its axis. It will be seen that if the gear segment 34 is moved longitudinally relative to the gear segment 24, it will cause the latter gear segment to rotate a part of a revolution and when the gear segment 34 is returned to its initial position the partial rotationor rocking of member 20 will be reversed.

This construction as state-d above, lends itself particularly to a situation where the member to be rocked (such as member 20) is carried by a member which itself rotates, for the longitudinal movement of the non-rotating gear segment can readily be controlled as for example, by having it under spring tension to move outwardly and by pressing it inwardly at the desired intervals of time either through-the action of a smooth faced plunger or through the action of a cam face.

For the purposes of illustration, the mechanical movement is here described and illustrated as embodied in a device for folding and creasing paper.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section of a portion of a folding machine; Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the two gear segments as previously described; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the two main rolls taken on line l4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts in a different position.

Referring to Fig. 1, I is a main frame member in which are journaled the two main rolls l2 and I4. The other ends of these rolls are not shown, as their mounting and their gear connections are well understood in the art. Each of the rolls l2 and I4 carries a pair of tucker blades l6 (see Fig.

) which are arranged diametrically opposite to each other in such roll. Intermediate the pairs of tucker blades are the pinch blades l8, and as shown in Fig. 4, the rolls l2 and l 4 are so mounted that as they rotate the tucker blade of the first 5 roll will cooperate with the pinch blade of the second roll to give the paper a crease in one direction after which the tucker blade of the second roll will cooperate with the pinch blade of the first roll to crease the paper in the opposite direction. The tucker blades l6- are firmly mounted in the rolls. l2 and M as is well understood in'the art, but the pinch blades 18 are each'carried by a pinch blade holder 20 which is journaled in the end plates 22 of the rolls. Each pinch blade holder 20' carries at one end a gear segment 24 which is spirally cut as indicated in Fig. 3.

Mounted in each of the rolls l2 and I4 adjacent one of the pinch blade holders 2B is a socket 26 in which moves a plunger 28 which is keyed 20 against rotary movement by a pin 30 (see Fig. 2).

A spring 32 exerts a tension to push the plunger 28 out of the socket 26. The pin 39 moves in the slot in the wall of the socket 26 and thereby limits the longitudinal movement of the plunger 28 as well as preventing it from rotating. The head of the plunger 28 is in the form of a gear segment 34 which meshes with the adjacent gear segment 24. As shown in Fig. 3 it will be apparent that as plunger 28 is pushed in against the tension of spring 32 the pinch blade holder 20 will be rocked; and when gear 34 returns to its original position, the pinch blade holder will be again rocked back to its original position.

As is well understood in the art of folding paper, 35 it is desired to have the pinch blade holder 2!] operate just after a tucker blade I 5 has forced the paper between the pinch blade and the opposite wall of the mouth of the recess in the roll, that is, when the parts are-approximately in the position shown in Fig. 4. In the present instance the movement of the pinch blade is controlled by a plunger having a head 56 which presses the gear segments 34 inward at the appropriate time. In order that there may be some adjustment of the contact and co-action between this plunger head and the gear segments 34, each gear segment 34 is here shown as carrying a screw 36 which is adjustable inwardly and outwardly. There will also be substantial wear between the plunger head and the screws so that the heads of the screws preferably are hardened. The screws are readily replaceable when worn out.

The operating plunger head 56 is operated by a shaft 38 which is positioned at right angles to the axis of the rolls l2 and I4 as shown in Fig. 1. This shaft is connected by appropriate gearing not shown, with the rolls I2 and I4 so as to synchronize properly with those rolls. At the end shown, the shaft 38 carries an eccentric pin 40 on which is mounted a link or crank 42 which is connected to a cross bar 44 slidably mounted on the rods 46 and 48. Stops 50 carried by these rods impart thereto the movement of the cross member 44 in one direction (compare Fig. 2) and when moved in the other direction the cross bar 44 compresses the two springs 52 which contact with the cross bar 54 secured to the rods, thereby pushing the rods 46 and 48 forward. At their inner ends the rods 46 and 48 carry the plunger head 58 adapted to contact with screws 36 as previously described. In order to reduce the strain on shaft 38 a compensating spring 58 is here illustrated, the tension of which is adjustable by a screw 60.

Under normal conditions the gear segments 34 are pushed outwardly by springs 32 and the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5. When the parts have moved into the position shown in Fig. 6 and a tucker blade I6 is in position to tuck a fold of paper between a pinch blade and the cooperating part of the roll, the plunger head 56 is pushed forward driving the appropriate gear segment 34 inward and rocking the corresponding pinch blade I8 to crease the paper. As the rolls l2 and I4 revolve further, the plunger head 56 is positively retracted and gear segments 34 are driven out by springs 32.

It has been found advantageous in some instances to make the pinch blade holder 20 hollow and to provide openings 2| through the wall thereof so that lubricant can be forced into the inside of the holders and thence out through said openings 2|, thereby forcing out any paper dust that may collect on the moving parts.

It is understood that the device shown may be used for many different purposes and that even in the embodiment illustrated the details of construction may be modified in many particulars without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a rotary pinch roll of a paper folding machine having a longitudinal recess in its peripheral portion equipped. with a pinch blade supported on a holder journaled in said roll so that the pinch blade is rockable between the front and back walls of the recess, a spiral gear segment carried on the pinch blade holder exposed at one end of the pinch roll, a. second spiral gear segment at the same end of the roll in mesh with the first segment, said sgond segment being supported for longitudinally reciprocating, non-rotary movement relatively to the first segment, said second segment being spring-pressed into a normal position further away from the end of the roll, and a reciprocating member supported independently of the roll timed with the rotation of the roll to come into yielding cooperation with the second segment to press it inwardly relatively to the roll and the first segment with resultant rotation of the latter.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized by the second segment having an adjustable screw mounted in the end thereof for engagement by the aforesaid reciprocating member.

3. In combination with the cooperating oppositely rotating pinch rolls of a paper folding machine having longitudinal recesses in their peripheral portions severally equipped with pinch blades mounted on holders journaled in said rolls 9 eccentrically of the axis of said roll and so that the pinch blade in each such recess is rockable between the front and back walls thereof, spiral gear segments carried on the respective pinch blade holders exposed at one end of the rolls, second spiral gear segments supported on said ends of the rolls in mesh with the first segments, means for holding said second segments substantially against rotation on their own axes but permitting them to move longitudinally of their axes; and a single means for successively giving yielding longitudinal movement to said second segments on said rolls, said means comprising a reciprocatory member supported opposite the ends of said rolls and having a head overlying portions of both rolls so as to be adapted to 1operate the second segment of either of said rol s.

4. In combination with a rotary pinch roll of a paper folding machine having a plurality of longitudinal recesses in its peripheral portion each equipped with a pinch blade supported on a holder journalled in said roll eccentrically of the axis of said roll and so that each such pinch blade is rotatable between the front and back walls of the recess, a spiral gear segment carried by each pinch blade holder, a second spiral gear segment supported on said roll in mesh with each such first segment, means for holding said second segments substantially against rotation relative to said roll but permitting each of them to move longitudinally along its axis, contact members extending beyond the end of the roll for causing said second spiral gears to be moved longitudinally, a thrust member mounted outside of said roll adapted to cooperate with such contact members and means for moving such thrust member yieldingly against such contact members to rock said pinch blades.

WILLIAM FAIRCHILD. 

